


Steven and Peridot's sparring match

by Chromite



Series: Sparring Matches [4]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Beta Kindergarten, metal pieces, sparring match, ten years in the future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-04-06 04:46:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19055506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chromite/pseuds/Chromite
Summary: Steven and Peridot spar in the Beta Kindergarten.





	Steven and Peridot's sparring match

>It had been ten years since the Diamonds had healed the corrupted gems, and new rules had taken effect across all the gem colonies.  
>Fearing things weren't so simple, and wanting to keep their skills up in case something went wrong again, the Crystal Gems continued to train and hone their combat skills.  
>Today the gems had split into four groups. Pearl paired off with Connie and went to the Sky Arena. Bismuth had paired with Amethyst and hit the Strawberry battlefield. Garnet and Lapis had gone to Mask Island to train.  
>This left Peridot and Steven paired together for a match. The pair had chosen the Beta Kindergarten, the site had plenty of metal laying around for Peridot to utilize and a wide open expanse on both sides of the winding canyon.  
>Steven now stood taller than all the other Crystal Gems, his body a full head taller than an Agate's height, his body had become broad and muscular, his hair had retained it's general shape, but had began developing pink strands as he grew up. A thick brown and pink beard sat on his face, matching his father's style. He still wore a familiar red tee shirt with a yellow star upon it, made in a larger size to fit his body.  
>Before the match started, Steven had suggested they move metal up out of the canyon and onto the open plains, to preserve the integrity of the Beta Kindergarten, allow Peridot to quickly pull metal for her attacks, and to give them a wide open area to fight. The pair had spent the first thirty minute lugging pieces in injector metal up, Steven jumping up with large armloads with ease as Peridot levitated the pieces out of the canyon at a similar speed. Soon they had more than enough for the match.  
>The pair took a rest to regain their strength for the match. Steven sat down in the canyon, within one of the holes Jasper had dug out. Peridot sat next to him, leaning her head against his large form.  
>"It's nice we can relax a bit before our match. You've improved a lot Peridot, I'm proud of you."  
>"Wow, thanks. I have to say, you've shown exceptional ability growth yourself over the past decade. However, it won't be enough to save you today, nyehehe!"  
>Steven smirked at Peridot. "Sounds like you're ready to lose. Shall we get up there and start?"  
>"You clod! You won't be smirking when I successfully conquer you in fabricated combat!" Peridot jumped onto her metal flying disk and levitated it out of the dug out hole the pair had been resting in. Steven smiled as he followed her out and jumped up to the top of the canyon.  
>Peridot had positioned herself over a pile of metal a few yards away from the canyon edge. Steven closed the distance a bit before he summoned his shield.  
>"Are you set Periodt? Ready to begin?"  
>Peridot answered by flicking her left wrist, lifting a few pieces of metal into the air. She bobbed the metal up and down like a head shake of confirmation.  
>"Okay! Good luck Peridot, our match begins now!" Steven smiled cheerfully as he began running towards her position.  
>Peridot responded by flinging pieces of metal at him at high speed. Steven enlarged his shield in front of him, causing the metal pieces to bounce off of it and land in front of him, lodging in the ground. Each hit sent him skidding backward a bit from the force and weight of the projectiles. "She's been practicing since last time, she's actually moving me back a bit." Steven thought to himself as he continued rushing forward, adjusting his path to dodge the pieces that wound up lodged in the ground.  
>Peridot's eyes widened as she saw Steven getting closer. She flew on her disc away from him, towards a larger pile of metal. As she moved, she used her powers to position lesser piles into obstacles for Steven to dodge, large and small pieces of metal twisted together into things meant to wear him down if he passed too close to them.  
>Steven slowed his movements as he reached the start of the new obstacle field. He had agreed not to jump over things, but he didn't like the looks of what lied ahead of him. Pieces of metal scrapped against his large body as he weaved through the field, leaving small scratches and shallow cuts on his arms and legs, a light amount of blood trickling from the worst of the wounds. Steven growled in annoyance at each new scrape, he hated drawn out conflicts designed to wear someone out.  
>His annoyance was soon met with shock as he reached the center of the field of metal. Shadows loomed over him and the area, a few large masses of metal floating over a wide area around and above Steven, ready to drop on top of him. Peridot smirked at the edge of the field, proud of her genius plan.  
>"Stars, this was her plan all along and I walked right into it, I really am a clod. This was a trap!" Steven swore to himself as the metal around him began twisting towards him, trying to hold him down. The metal resting above began to hurl down, intent on hitting or burying him. Steven knew Peridot wouldn't try to permanently harm him, but he still wanted to avoid the pain of being buried alive.  
>Gritting his teeth, he threw up his bubble shield around himself, spikes popping up all along the surface. He winced as he felt the metal inside the bubble tighten around his left leg, but he held firm. A scraping screech sounded as the metal Peridot had hurled towards him hit the bubble, pieces getting pierced by the spikes or bouncing off the surface, hitting the pieces sticking up around the area and twisting into each other as they fell over into a mangled heap.  
>Steven felt the pressure around his leg ease up as the metal stopped falling, several pieces still impaled on the spikes of his bubble. He heard Peridot shouting in the distance. "You CLOD, you ruined my perfect strategy!" She fumed angrily as she contemplated what she should do next.  
>Steven smiled to himself. This was his chance to get to her while she was distracted. He quickly retracted the spikes on his bubble, dragging the metal into the bubble sending the pieces bouncing and whizzing all around him. Steven's smile faded and his blood ran cold when he noticed one piece was hurling strait towards Peridot's head, her back turned as she surveyed the area and planned. It was going to hit her too hard, it might poof her form and break her gem!  
>Steven dropped his bubble entirely and pushed off with his legs strongly, jumping towards the piece of metal and Peridot. Screw the no jumping rule, he had to save his friend. He sped towards the piece of metal three times faster than it was flying, The air moved fast against his body, chilling him as he hurled towards the speeding piece of metal, a whooshing sound forming from his flight.  
>The noise caused Peridot to turn back around, snapped out of her planning mode. A chill went through her as she saw the piece of metal flying towards her head and Steven flying towards her. She held out her hands desperately to slow the metal down. It was enough, the metal slowed it's speed while Steven retained his. Steven caught up to the metal piece a few inches away from Peridot and smacked it away from her form before crashing into her. The pair fell to the ground below, Steven instinctively wrapping his large arms around the green gem and tucking within himself.  
>The metal lodged itself into a nearby rock with a clang, cracks forming along the rock as the metal buried itself within. At the same time, Steven landed back first and slid along the ground, holding Peridot close to his body and absorbing all the fall impact. Steven groaned as he came to a stop, a sharp pain ebbing through his body.  
>"Are....are you okay Peridot?" Steven looked at Peridot, sitting on his chest with a stunned expression on her face.  
>"Am I okay? You clod, I should ask YOU that! Stars, what were you thinking?!"  
>"I couldn't let you get hurt! You might have been shattered if the metal had hit your head! I'll heal from my injuries, but you can't fix a broken gem!"  
>Peridot's eyes widened in surprise. "St-steven....I'm sorry. It's my fault you got hurt, I, I wanted to win so badly...."  
>"Steven smiled at Peridot. "Don't worry, it'll take more than this to really hurt me! I'll be fine, I promise."  
>Steven held Peridot as he stood up from the ground. Peridot smiled as she wrapped her green arms around Steven. Relief flooded through both of them at the other being okay, their gems glowing in unison. A glow enveloped their bodies as their forms merged together. The nearby warp pad glowed as a stream touched down upon it.  
>The glow faded from the pair, leaving behind a singular fusion. Two large, powerful legs stood steady, Peridot's green jumpsuit covering the legs up to the knees, where they faded into Steven's blue pants turned shorts from the size increase. They stood a full half body taller than Steven, four powerful arms attached to a thick torso, Peridot's green jumpsuit poking out from the edges of Steven's red star shirt. Their skin was a pale green, far lighter than Peridot's skin tone. Steven's thick beard had persisted, the brown and pink hairs mixing with Peridot's blond, the entire beard going from a round shape to a more triangular one. Steven's Puffy round hairstyle had become more rigid as well, almost forming upside-down triangles, the flat side sticking out as the tip receded into the larger fluff of hair, the hair itself the same triple color of blond, brown, and pink as the beard. A wide smile rested on the fusion's face as they fiddled with the pointed visor covering their three eyes.  
>Two separate voices began talking as the fusion ran their hands along their body.  
>"Wow, so this is fusion? I, I thought I couldn't....." a higher pitched tone spoke in wonder.  
>"Are you okay? I know fusion can be scary the first time." the deeper voice reassured and comforted.  
>"I....I think so? Stars, this is amazing! Is all fusion like this?"  
>"Most of them I've been in have been great! I'm sure you'll love it too. I can't believe I'm your first fusion!"  
>"Congrats you two! I knew Peridot would be able to do this soon!" The fusion turned their attention in shock to see Garnet, smiling widely. Behind her, Lapis fluttered, a nervous look on her face.  
>The two voices mixed into a third, a middle ground between the tones, speaking in excitement and surprise. "Garnet, Lapis?! What are you two doing here?!"  
>"We finished because we finished sparring and Garnet wanted to come. Steven, Peridot, are you two okay? How do you feel?" Lapis asked uncertainly. Even after a decade and a few successful fusions of her own, she was still weary of new fusions.  
>"It feels right, like I'll be safe no matter what. Stars, this really is amazing." the higher pitch voice had broken back out.  
>"Don't worry Lapis, we're fine, we're still getting used to this though."  
>Lapis eyed the fusion wearily before she shrugged. "If you say so. Have fun you three, I'm heading back to the temple." Lapis flew off towards the warp pad.  
>"Don't mind her you two, you know how she is. Tell me about yourselves! Your name would be a good starting place." Garnet spoke quickly, her excitement shining through her words.  
>The fusion thought for a moment. What was a good name for themselves? They ran through various gem types in their mind, mostly pulling from Peridot's memories of Kindergartening, discarding a few names before they found one they liked, one fitting their size and power.  
>"Titanite. We're Titanite." The fusion smiled to themselves after boldly declairing the name they chose.  
>"Titanite, that's perfect. I declare this sparring match over. Make sure your first experience is a good experience. Go have fun!" Garnet smiled as she looked up at Titanite.  
>"We will. Thank you so much Garnet!" Titanite ran a short distance before stopping. A smile spread on their face as they flicked their wrists, metal coming together into a large metal square. They stepped onto it and flew into the distance, their voice laughing as they felt the air move quickly around them.  
>Garnet continued smiling as she watched them speed off. She was sure they'd make their first time a memorable one. She turned around and made her way back to the warp pad, eager to get to the temple and spread the news.

**Author's Note:**

> So, Titanite. Just what I think Peridot and Steven fused together would end up as. I wanted something to cause Garnet to be excited to see the match, what better than a first fusion?


End file.
